Mercy
by sunnyamazing
Summary: SamPhil: “I’m begging you for mercy, why won’t you release me” She’d almost gotten him out of her head, because it hurt too much to remember, but a chance meeting brought it all back.
1. Sometimes You Just Have To Move On

**Inspired by the Rockferry album by Duffy, title and lyrics taken from there, some other chapter titles may also come from there later on.  
Set around now-ish, but Stuart hasn't been given the complete all clear.  
Enjoy and please review!**

**Mercy.**

**Chapter One – Sometimes You Just Have To Move On.**

Sam rested her head on her hand, and glanced down at the paperwork in front of her. The words swimming around on the page, usually she could read and read and read, and never get tired of what was written, but today she was agitated, and she couldn't work out why. Perhaps it was that Neil was still away, and she was left with all the DI duty, and in the time that she'd been a DS she'd forgotten all that a DI had to do. Perhaps it was that this was another case getting inside her head, when was she ever going to learn, if it was one thing that she knew how to do, it was to obsess about her work, particular cases, particular suspects, Pat Kitson and Alan Kennedy immediately sprang to mind. This time it was William Banks, her latest suspect in a long line of interviews regarding a series of sexual assaults that had taken place in Sun Hill, late into the evenings. Sam had a hunch that he was guilty, actually she knew that he was guilty, but so far a confession had eluded her. So that it what she was doing in her office at 7am, reading his file once more, and instead of helping her to understand him, it was frustrating her no end.

Or perhaps it was something else, something that she didn't really want to think about, perhaps she was missing him. Ever since he had left six months ago Sam had tried to forget him, she knew that they had promised to keep in touch, but then that is what everyone said to their former colleagues, as some sort of throwaway line, some sort of small gesture. Perhaps she had been deluding herself to the actual possibility that remaining in contact with Phil Hunter was going to happen, and not in fact some ridiculous pipe dream of a forty three year old woman, who by now should have certainly known better. Phil had probably forgotten her as soon as he arrived at Specialist Crimes, he could have had every woman in the place, and knowing him as she did she wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case. But a part of her, a very small part of her, that she spent most of her time refusing to let out, constantly denying, hoped that this wasn't the case, because she knew that in some way she would always feel something for Phil, that something would tie him to her, that was unless she could find someway to release this, release herself from the past years of constant flirting and a relationship that had so much promise, but then fizzled and burned in front of her face. Sam was no stranger to life's little changes, life's little ups and downs, she knew that that things were changing here once more, that things had to change, life didn't stay the same forever. People were leaving, and people were arriving to replace those gone.

She stood and wandered to the office door, leaning against the frame, her eyes scanning the room, looking at all of the empty desks, all awaiting those whose possessions cluttered them. There were the old and familiar, Terry, Mickey, Jo, and even Stuart, and then there were the new and not so familiar, Grace, Stevie and Max. The last one arriving soon after someone close to her had left, so Sam resided to the fact that it was perhaps natural to feel somewhat hesitant to welcoming this new addition. Max sitting in her former friend's desk, the man who knew so many of her secrets, knew her better sometimes than she knew herself. She wondered what he was doing, whether or not he was at work, or if he was entertaining some new flame. Sam sighed to herself silently, she was going to have to forget him, he wasn't coming back, and it was time that she allowed herself to move on. This was real life, not some modern day fairytale, she was a police officer, horrible things happened around her each day, much worse than a friend not calling her or keeping in touch. Stuart had been threatened by a death sentence only weeks ago, and he still had a few weeks to wait for the all clear, she remembered how she felt upon hearing this, immediately she had remembered all of the good times that she had shared with him, okay so there wasn't a million of them, but there were a few.

She sighed once more, wondering if she had never lost their baby, what might have happened to the two of them, would she be the DI at this moment? Obsessing over another case, or perhaps even the same one? No of course not, for a new child would have meant she would have had to give up work, at least for a time, would she and Stuart have even been together still? Who knew the answer to that question, certainly not Sam. Sam and Stuart existed as a completely platonic work colleague relationship now, he followed her instructions, and most of the time he was good at his job, the time that they had lived together almost wiped from her memory. Undoubtedly Stuart had been a mistake, and she was glad that she had made her way out of that one, but Phil still gnawed away at her, if she had of had Stuart's baby would there ever have been a her and Phil? She never would have been sent to Romania, that was for sure, Stuart would have made certain of that, would Phil still have been sent there? And would he perhaps have been shot and killed without her there? Sam returned to her desk, and flicked the folder open once more, she couldn't change the past, Phil was gone, he wasn't coming back, she had to find a new way to get on with her life, absent-mindedly she began to tap her nails on the smooth surface of the desk, would he still be here if their relationship had never soured? Was it her fault that he was no longer at Sun Hill? That she was sitting here like a fool alone, wondering about questions that she could never answer. She needed to forget Phil, it wasn't good for her to be thinking things like this, not when there was a serial offender on _her_ patch.

She turned the page, and scanned it rapidly, this was what she needed to focus on, not her own meaningless dramas.

"Ma'am" came the voice of PC Tony Stamp, snapping Sam's attention his way, "We've found some very interesting CCTV, Mr Banks has been caught on the High Street camera, two minutes after Monday's attack, and he is hiding away a backpack behind some dustbins" Tony continued, before handing Sam a small DVD.

Sam smiled, this was what she needed, something to take her mind off of Phil, something to get out from under his spell, some sort of release.

"Thanks Tony, I'll look at it now" Sam replied, as she headed out into the office, determined that she had to move on, it hurt too much to remember, and as soon as she could get over him, she was sure that it would never hurt again.

**Please review x**


	2. No Reason Now

**Thanks heaps to Gem, SassyJ, Ellyce, Laura, Beccy and Barb for reviewing! Enjoy this one!**

**Chapter Two – No Reason Now.**

Sam sighed as she stapled a bunch of papers together, before placing them on the new pile, and then closing a folder around them. Two months had passed since she had received that DVD from Tony, and tomorrow was the final day in court for the Banks case, when the sentence was to be handed down. Sam was busy filing all of the paperwork away, so far the case had gone well, Sam had given her evidence the day before, and there had been no difficult questions, but Sam had been an officer long enough to realise that no-one was going anywhere until the very last minute. She had, had after all too many surprises in the past.

Tomorrow was also a big day in the fact that Neil was returning from his holiday, this afternoon Jack had advised her that he was home and looking forward to returning, he had, apparently had a wonderful time with Jake, and had many things to tell them all. Sam glanced around the small office, she had quite a few things she needed to do before she could leave this evening, and it was already late, she smiled as she looked towards Neil's usually pristine desk, it was covered with her paperwork, Sam couldn't see him being too pleased if she left it all there. She stood and wandered towards the desk, scooping the papers up with one arm, and then dumping them onto her desk in front of her. She then returned to Neil's desk, and straightened up all of his things, standing the photo of Jake back upright, she then pulled a scrap of paper from his notepad, and left him a little note, _Welcome Back, Talk soon, Sam_. She smiled to herself once more, it was always worthwhile keeping Neil onside with her, and if a little note would do the trick then at least she had left one. She then returned to her seat and sat back down, reaching for the stapler once more and collating all of the papers together, before dumping them in the bottom of a box, hidden under her desk, next to her emergency suit.

* * *

An hour passed, and Sam had become engrossed in reading one of her papers, it was a witness statement that had been tendered in evidence about William Banks, the DVD that Tony had found, showed Mr Banks leaving behind a backpack, and when he had left it behind, he had left behind a mountain of forensics, DNA from three of his victims had been found on the shoes contained inside the bag, and Sam was pretty certain that this was what the conviction would be based upon. This statement was from a former girlfriend, who had given Mr Banks the shoes for a present one birthday. Sam laughed to herself quietly, remembering the look upon his face when she had shown him this statement, the arrogant man still hadn't confessed though, but tomorrow that would all change. Sam felt her stomach grumble as she looked up at the clock, it was after 8pm, she sighed, she had better be getting home. She quickly piled up the rest of the paperwork, and dealt with it quickly, not stopping to read what was written. She then pulled her coat from behind her, and wrapped it around herself, before checking the office, it was clean, well Neil's section of it was, as for hers she could deal with that in the morning, it was after all only one box, she flicked the light off behind her, and then wandered out into the main office. She looked around the room, startled to see that she hadn't been alone all this time, she thought everyone had left hours ago, but there was still a light shining over Stuart's desk, and he was there, his head down, and his hand writing frantically. Sam wandered over towards him, before stopping next to his desk, "What are you still doing here?" she asked, wondering if he was okay

"Didn't want to go home" he replied simply

"Why?" Sam asked, "Worried that Neil's going to find holes in your paperwork tomorrow, eh?" she said jokingly

"No, it isn't that"

"Oh" Sam said, as she noticed that Stuart hadn't appreciated her little attempt at a joke, "You want to come to the Banks case tomorrow?" she asked, trying a different approach, "We might see the scumbag get sent down"

"No Guv, I've got tomorrow morning off" Stuart said, as he stopped writing and glanced up at Sam

"You do?" Sam asked, wondering had she been told this but then forgotten in her one-sided mind, with its complete focus on Banks

"My results come in tomorrow" he said quietly

"Oh Stuart" Sam said, as she knelt next to the desk, "I'm so sorry, I forgot"

"It's okay Guv, you've had a lot on your mind, with the Banks case and all, and being without Neil for so long"

"I should've remembered though" Sam replied, cursing herself for being so insensitive, "I am sure that you will be fine, remember Peters did tell you that you had nothing to worry about"

"Yeah, I know, but since when do you believe the words of any drug affected person"

"You'll be fine" Sam said, this time more convincingly, as she reached out and squeezed Stuart's hand

"Thanks Guv, if I am, and if Banks gets sent down, then I think we should all go out for drinks at the Seven Bells tomorrow night, maybe even into the city after"

"I'll think about it" Sam replied with a smile, this was all getting a bit too confusing, being alone with Stuart like this once again, but it wasn't because she felt any romantic attachment to him, that was certainly gone, it was that this was reminding her of the past, and the past was what she had spent the past two months forgetting "But its not if, its when, alright?" she said, as she stood and began to walk towards the doors

"Yes Guv, and thanks" Stuart said, as he watched her leave

"Bye Stuart, see you tomorrow" Sam replied, as she left the room and headed downstairs, tomorrow night, both the fate of Stuart and Mr Banks would be known, and then instead of all her attention being focused on how to make this case rock solid, and how all the evidence was fitting together, there was a risk that someone else would make their way back into her head. Sam shook her head, that wasn't going to happen, she hadn't let herself think of him for this long, after she'd found that DVD, she'd taken everything that reminded her of Phil and buried it in the back of her closet, and she hadn't opened it since, and there was no reason to open it now.

**Please review x**


	3. Big Night

**Thanks to Gem, Beccy, Laura, Ellyce, Barb, and SassyJ for reviewing the last chapter, this one has some possible out-of-character-ness but it is necessary to set up the scenes that will follow in the next three chapters.  
I don't think that it's too bad though, but please review and let me know!**

**Chapter Three – Big Night.**

"Congratulations" yelled the gathered relief, as Sam entered the Seven Bells late the next night

"Well done Sam" Gina said, as she congratulated her friend, bringing her over a large glass of white wine

"You got him sent away" Jo said, as she came to stand next to the two of them

"I guess I did" Sam replied, as a smile spread across her face, remembering the day she had just had. It had started like any other, but had ended with Banks being found guilty on all charges, and sentenced to at least fifteen years jail, Sam had thoroughly enjoyed watching his arrogant face become etched with worry, as he realised the gravity of what had just been imposed upon him.

"Looks like I didn't have to worry about leaving you alone after all" Neil said, as he appeared from behind the bar, "Thanks for the note, by the way" he said jokingly, as he knocked his glass against Sam's

"No worries, welcome home. How was Spain?"

"Great, I went bull-riding" Neil said proudly

"You didn't" Sam said astounded

"I've got the bruises to prove it" he said with a laugh, and then to be certain, he rolled up one of his sleeves, and showed a deep purple bruise

"Oh that's attractive Guv" Jo said sarcastically

"It wouldn't be for you" Neil retorted, as they all laughed, today had been a good day for them all

"More drinks?" Gina asked, as she skulled the last of her whisky

"I've only just got mine" Sam protested

"Well hurry it up, big night ahead" Jo said, "I'll have another please"

Sam smiled, and headed towards one of the familiar couches, before sitting down, "Have you seen Stuart today?" Sam whispered, as Jo sat beside her, she knew that Stuart and Jo were close, and that she would know if he knew about his results yet

"Yes, but there was a delay, he was getting them at 5pm" Jo explained, as she looked down at her watch, "It's just gone 6 now" she said worriedly

"I'm sure he's" Sam began, but was interrupted as the pub door opened, and Stuart wandered inside, smiling to the others, and then heading quickly over to where Jo and Sam were talking

"I hope you've got your good shoes on Guv, we have a lot of celebrating to do"

"So you're going to be okay?" Jo asked, anxiously

"I'm going to be just fine" Stuart said happily, "And now I need a drink, Guv? Jo?"

"I'm still on this one" Sam replied, "And I am really happy for you, I told you that everything was going to be fine. Banks got fifteen too"

"Great" Stuart said with a smile

"Sure why not" Jo said to the offer of drinks, "And get Sam another too"

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Sam asked

"Always" Jo replied

"DC Masters you really are a very bad influence"

"Oh celebrate a little, I haven't seen you properly drunk since DS Hunter's farewell, and that was a great night" Jo said, as she took a glass from Gina who just arrived and sat down beside them, before placing the full tray on the table in the middle of them all

"Has anyone heard from him at all?" Gina asked, as she caught the end of the conversation, "Sam, surely you would have"

"No I haven't" Sam replied, wistfully, as she then took a large sip of the wine

"Something the matter?" Stuart asked, as he returned with another tray

"No, nothing at all" Sam said, as she finished one glass and reached out for another, they wanted her to have a big night, she might as well give them one.

* * *

Two hours later, and several glasses of wine later, Sam went to stand and headed to the bathroom, her feet feeling funny beneath her. She really didn't get out enough she thought, as she made her way passed her colleagues, and entered the bathroom, splashing her face with water, she reasoned that she was indeed more drunk than what she had been when Phil left, but this was all in the name of celebration, so who really cared. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, be that it was a blurry one, and she then headed back out to her colleagues, taking a glass of water as she passed the bar. She then returned, and sipped on the water slowly, as she listened back into the conversation, more stories of Neil doing unbelievably un-Neil like things, she laughed as she listened, imagining Neil's face, as a bull ran towards him.

"Come on Jo" Sam said, about an hour later, she was poking Jo in the arm, but she was making no attempt to realise that Sam was there

"How many has she had?" Stuart asked, as he pulled her by the other arm

"Too many obviously" Gina replied, "Lightweight"

"We really are a fine example of responsible drinking" Neil replied, as he watched the others, both Sam and Stuart struggling with Jo, and on the other side of the pub, Sally, Emma and Beth singing the Spice Girls loudly, and very off key, into a karaoke machine

"Speak for yourself Neil, you've had more than me" Sam replied with a laugh, the wine she had inhaled now seeming to wear off, as she felt more sober than she had an hour ago

"What are you going to do about her?" Jack asked, as he joined them

"She's on night shift tomorrow, plenty of time to sober up" Mickey said from somewhere behind them, "As am I, so barman I will have another"

Sam watched and began to laugh, "I'll take her home, she doesn't live far from me. I can walk from hers if we get a cab"

"No, I'll come with you both, and then I can walk you home" Stuart said, as he managed to pull Jo to her feet

"That's sweet of you Stuart" Gina said, as she looked towards Sam, wondering if there was something going on between the two of them again

"If you're sure" Sam said, as an uncomfortable feeling made its presence known in the pit of her stomach, and Sam wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the offer of Stuart's causing it

"It's fine Sam" Stuart said with a smile, "I'll see you all tomorrow" he called to the rest of them

"So will I" Sam replied

"Mu..Tomorrow" Jo added on the end, and then Sam and Stuart each took hold of one of her arms and pulled her out into the night.

**Please review x**


	4. Night Walk

**Thanks to Gem, Sassy, Beccy, Laura, Ellyce, dudestar and Tee for reviewing the last chapter!  
Hope that you enjoy this one!**

**Chapter Four – Night Walk.**

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Sam asked as she closed Jo's front door gently behind her and Stuart

"If she kicks them, then she'll be fine" Stuart mumbled, as he held on to the side of his arm, a faint bruise appearing from where Jo had kicked him as they pulled her up her stairs, it was then that he had left Sam to sort her out, and had sat on the sofa and waited, eventually Sam had crept downstairs claiming that Jo was asleep

"I left her a note, I paper clipped it to her and I left a bucket next to her just in case" Sam explained, as she wrapped her coat around her

"She really did a good job tonight" Stuart said jokingly

"I think she was worried about you" Sam replied, as she turned to look up at Stuart

"You think?" Stuart asked, as the two of them wandered out into the street

"Of course" Sam said with a smile, "I'm glad that you are okay too"

"Me too" Stuart admitted

"Now I'd better get home" Sam said, as she went to walk the opposite way

"You're not hungry are you?" Stuart asked

Sam stopped in her tracks, what was happening here? She didn't know what to say back, eventually she reasoned there was nothing dangerous about eating, and as for her relationship with Stuart, she was pretty sure that, that was done and dusted, long ago, she turned back around, and smiled, "Yeah, maybe a little"

"Fancy some Thai?" Stuart asked

"Yeah, maybe I do"

"Well at least we know where it is from here" Stuart replied

"Yes we do, do you think we should get a cab?" Sam asked

"I don't mind walking, at least if you don't?"

"Its fine, it isn't late" Sam replied, as they turned and headed for the take away

Sam sighed as she made her way down the street, next to Stuart. It had been a strange day, but definitely a good one. Banks was going down, Neil was back to lighten her workload, Stuart was going to be okay, but she was still alone. She turned sideways to look at Stuart, who was walking along with a slight smile on his face, Sam knew what that was, a look of unadulterated happiness.

"Am I getting a bruise?" Stuart asked, as he paused underneath a street light, the dim light shining down upon them

"Let me look" Sam said as she peered at his arm, "Perhaps, but I am sure that you have had worse, and she's given worse" she added with a laugh

"I have" Stuart said with a smile, "Who did she give worse too?" Stuart asked inquisitively

"Phil" Sam said quietly, "One night we were all down at the Seven Bells, and there was karaoke, and the two of them were a little happy, and they sung together and she ended up pushing him off of the stage" she added, a slight laugh escaping her throat, remembering his complaints the next morning when he arrived at work

Stuart noticed Sam's face, "You miss him don't you?"

"No" Sam said firmly

"Sam, now I mightn't like him too much, and probably never will, but it's obvious that you do"

"That's a very mature thing for you to say" Sam said with a smile

"I've had a lot of time to grow up over the past couple of months" Stuart said wistfully, as he began to walk once more, "And don't change the subject with compliments"

"I wasn't" Sam replied quickly, Stuart was right, she was trying to change the subject

"You were" Stuart said laughing, "I do know you a little. We did live together once"

"Feels like a lifetime ago" Sam admitted quietly

"Yeah, I guess it does. I should say though I am sorry about all of that"

"It's in the past now, things have moved on. We've all changed" Sam replied, eager to change the subject once again, she wasn't interested in bringing up her and Stuart's failed relationship

"Just admit that you miss him" Stuart said

"But I don't" Sam replied, lying through her teeth as they stopped outside the take away, she sighed as she followed Stuart inside. She knew that she missed Phil, and now that Banks wasn't in her head, and hadn't been for the past few hours, what she feared would happen, was happening. Thoughts of Phil were creeping back in, Sam shook her head, and sat down, she was determined not to go back, she had to look to the future, not the past.

"Sam, what do you want to eat?" Stuart called from the counter

"Just some noodles, and a lemonade" Sam replied, going to stand next to him, "Here's the money" she said, as she handed him a folded note

"Don't worry about it" Stuart replied, pushing her hand away, "My treat, it's a celebration" he said loudly as they went to sit down

"Thanks Stuart" Sam replied, as they waited together until the food was ready, and then went to sit down in a small booth. She smiled as she twisted the noodles around on her fork, before eating them.

They both sat in silence as they ate, looking up occasionally, to glance around the room, eventually the two of them finished and they went to leave, Stuart holding the door open as Sam ducked under his arm.

"It is good that you are so short" Stuart joked, as Sam gave him a deathly stare, before breaking into laughter herself

"Such a joker" Sam protested, "I'd better be getting home though" she said, as she glanced around the familiar street, at all the places she'd been so many times before

"Will you be okay to get home?" Stuart asked, "Do you want me to walk you?"

"I'll be fine" Sam said with a smile, "I'll see you tomorrow" and she turned and began to walk away

Stuart watched her leave, before setting off in the opposite direction, but then he changed his mind and went to follow her

"What are you doing?" Sam asked

"Being chivalrous" Stuart said, and made Sam laugh

"Come on then, if you are walking then you'd better walk fast" Sam said with a smile, as they headed out into a crowd, a huge group of people leaving one of the pubs en masse

"I'm coming Sam, I'm coming" Stuart called as he lost her tiny frame amongst the crowd of men

Sam turned around, as she stopped outside the pub door, looking back for Stuart, and then got the fright of her life, when someone she didn't want to see, pushed open the door in front of her and stood there with his familiar expression.

**Please review x**


	5. Contact

**Thanks to Gem, Bex, Sam, KattyKit2003, Ellyce, Sassy, Tee, Laura and CarlyBiancaa for reviewing the last chapter!  
This is the second last chapter of this fic, so I hope that you enjoy it!  
****As mentioned on my Pretence update last week, I am moving out of my house tomorrow, and won't have regular internet access,  
this is cause of renovations, but I will update and review as much as I can!  
Try not to forget me, I promise I'll be back ;) **

**Chapter Five – Contact.**

"Phil" Sam breathed, her heart beating so fast in her chest, she could barely control it, "What are you doing here?"

"Sam, where are you?" Stuart called from somewhere behind the two of them.

"Is that Stuart?" Phil asked, as he looked towards Sam.

"Yeah, he's walking me home" Sam managed to reply, before holding up her hand and waving in the air, trying to attract Stuart's attention.

Stuart pushed through the crowd and ended up next to Sam, "Phil, what a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?"

"That is what I asked him" Sam said, as she looked towards Phil, he had hardly said anything, and she didn't really know what to say either, he'd only commented on Stuart. He'd hardly changed, still looked the same, still had those piercing blue eyes, even in the darkened street.

Phil smiled, "I'm here for a celebration. We got a good result today. How about you two?" he asked, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Not much, basically the same" Stuart answered for Sam, as he could see the shock on her face.

"I have to go" Sam said quickly, she couldn't handle being this close to Phil, and having Stuart next to her wasn't exactly helpful, "I'll see you at work tomorrow Stuart" and with that she pulled her coat around her and disappeared into the night, leaving Phil and Stuart alone, both looking at one another.

* * *

Sam sighed, as she pushed open her front door, her breath was laboured, and her feet were killing her. She was sure that she had run all the way back home, she dropped her things onto the floor, and then sunk to it. Why now? Why had someone chosen this moment for him to appear back in her life? And what was he even doing in Sun Hill? Okay so perhaps he still lived here, and he hadn't moved, but then how was she to know what he was doing, it wasn't like he'd been in contact with her at all. She could hear her phone ringing inside her bag, and she rummaged around in the bottom of it, the screen was flashing 'Stuart'. Sam sighed, she didn't need to speak to him right now, she'd had fun with Stuart tonight, but that was as far as it went, and now that Phil had returned, she wasn't in any hurry to re-live the famous Sun Hill CID love triangle, it hadn't been so wonderful the first time. She pressed cancel, and then switched her phone off, still remaining on the floor, she sat there just thinking, her head spinning. Why now? The same two words constantly in her head, she couldn't fall back to the past again, she couldn't. There was only one way that she could see forward, she had to get rid of everything that connected her to Phil. She managed to pull herself up from the floor, and headed upstairs. She walked along the landing, before stopping and entering her room, walking to the wardrobe, and reaching inside, pulling out the box that she had tried to hide two months ago. She pulled it out, and let it drop to the floor, it landed with a thud, and then she sat down next to it, crossing her legs beneath her. She sighed, she had been stupid to keep this for so long, the delusional thoughts of a woman that should by now know better, "Well I do now" she whispered to herself, as she pulled the papers from the box, and the memories came flooding back. She refused to let herself look at them, as one by one she crinkled the pieces of paper into balls, and put them next to her, she had her eyes closed now, couldn't bear to look at all of this once again. But she was interrupted, her doorbell rang, not just the once but twice, and she had to open her eyes, looking down at what she was holding in her hand, and as soon as she did she wished that she hadn't, for in her hands was a photograph, Phil with his arms around her, and her arms around him, both of them beaming at the camera, with the view of London behind them, Yvonne's leaving do, she went to clench her hand around the photo and drop it with the rest, but the door bell rang once again, and Sam dropped it still perfect onto the floor, she couldn't do it, she couldn't crinkle that photo, not now that she had seen it, she could remember that day so vividly, life seemed simple before then, before declarations that came too soon, and stupid fears that caused her to run, there was no denying her past, she was still under his spell, she had been able to lose thoughts of him, but only because of her work, and now that she had seen him, she had no chance of forgetting him. She sighed and pulled herself up off the floor and headed downstairs, wondering who would be bothering her now.

**Please review x (Who is at the door??)**


	6. Mercy

**Thanks to Gemz, Bex, Leah, Laura, SJ, Gem, Tee and Sam for reviewing the previous chapter!  
This is the last one so please enjoy and let me know what you think of this one, I have to admit I quite like this chapter ;)  
Many, many thanks to anyone who has reviewed throughout this fic, my regular reviewers in particular, you know who you are!**

**Mercy.**

**Chapter Six – Mercy.**

Phil stood outside Sam's house, waiting and wondering if she was home. He had pressed the bell twice, and yet there had been no movement. He felt stupid standing outside, he didn't exactly know what he was going to say to her, even if she was here. He felt guilty at the fact that he hadn't called, and that it had been so long since the two of them had spoken, but in all honesty he didn't know what to say to her. He hadn't forgotten her, far from it, but their relationship hadn't been the same when he was at Sun Hill, and as far as he thought it wouldn't improve with him not working there any longer. But then tonight he had ran into her, completely by accident, it wasn't like he had gone to his old haunts for any trip down memory lane, his new colleagues wanted a pub that was different, and he'd immediately thought of one. They'd all had fun, plenty of drinks and celebrations, especially after a three month case had finally been solved, and they had even been given the day off tomorrow, as a continued celebration, and he was happy, ecstatic even. That was until he'd seen her, and she wasn't alone, she was with him. He'd had a rather brief conversation with Stuart, after Sam had ran, and Phil knew that she'd run from him, and perhaps that hurt him even more than the fact that she might have been back with Stuart. He sighed and went to walk away, until the door opened, and he turned backwards.

Sam pulled the door open, and stared, "What are you doing here?" she asked, standing in the door frame.

"I came to see you" he replied, it was the truth after all.

"It's been eight months Phil, why now?"

"Because I saw you tonight, and I wanted to talk, I wanted to see how you are" Phil replied, as he wandered back closer to the door.

Sam smiled, "You mean you want to know why Stuart and I were walking the streets together?" she said sarcastically.

"No, not at all" Phil replied through gritted teeth.

"You are a terrible liar Phil" Sam replied, "Would you have come had I been alone?"

Phil didn't say anything, until finally, "I'm sorry" came out.

"What are you sorry for?" Sam asked, "Sorry for lying to me just then, or for cutting me out of your life altogether"

"You could have called me" Phil replied.

"I'm not with Stuart" Sam replied, and she just looked at him, determined that she couldn't let herself fall once more, she knew that those memories were upstairs, and for her to have any chance of getting over him they needed to be gone, having the real live thing standing on her doorstep didn't exactly help. She went to close the door, whispering "Good bye Phil" determined that this would be the end.

"Sam wait" Phil called, as he put his foot into the doorframe.

"No Phil" Sam said firmly, "You can't do this to me, you need to move your foot"

Phil didn't move, he stood his ground, he wasn't going to leave now, he knew that he'd been wrong to try and cut her out of his life altogether, it wasn't going to work, he needed her, and from the look on her face, she perhaps needed him too.

Sam sighed, as her strength against him waned, and the door began to open more, and he made his way inside, finally she found her voice, and perhaps the words she needed to say came, "You know that game that children play? Where one grabs the other's arms and pins them behind them, pulling at them until they hurt one another or they give up and scream for mercy" she began, as she leant back against the wall, and Phil closed the door, having made his way into the house.

"Maybe" he replied, wondering where she was going with all of this.

"That's the game you and I have been playing for years now Phil. And please Phil, I'm begging you for mercy, I just can't do this anymore, this game just has to end" Sam said, as a tear ran down her cheek, her hand reaching up to brush it away quickly.

"This isn't a game Sam" Phil replied.

"No, it's worse because it's my life" Sam managed to mumble, "I can't live like this anymore Phil, I can't not have you in my life because I miss you, but when you are here we hurt one another, it isn't good for either of us. I need to let you go, and you need to let me go too. You can't just show up here, because we accidentally ran into one another"

"Then let me stay in your life. I was wrong to leave and not stay in contact, I'll admit that"

"I can't" Sam said, "We will end up hurting one another, and losing one another"

"Didn't you just say that we had lost one another?"

"You need to leave Phil" Sam managed to say, and she turned and went to walk away, turning and heading up the stairs.

"Why do you keep running from me?' Phil called after her.

Sam didn't answer, she had reached her bedroom, and the memories were scattered on the floor, she bent over and picked up the same picture as before, ready to scrunch it into a ball.

"Don't" came his voice from the hallway, "You want this game to end, then end it. But not like that"

Sam spun around, her hand holding the photo tightly, "How does the game end?" she whispered quietly.

"Like this" Phil replied, as he walked towards her and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her, his hand sliding up her back, as their bodies moved closer together, their lips centimetres apart, before he kissed her softly.

Sam felt her heart racing, as he pressed up close to her, and then kissed her, she contemplated pushing him away, contemplated slapping him across the face, but she couldn't, the photograph fluttered to the ground as she ran her hands up onto his neck, it was futile to beg for mercy, it was futile to ask him to release her, because she was always going to be under his spell, so she kissed him back.

_I don't know what this is  
But you got me good  
Just like you knew you would  
I don't know what you do  
But you do it well  
I'm under your spell_

**Please review x**


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